Car-coupling



(No Model.)

M. D. AVERY.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 366,710. Patented July 19, 1887 ATKRK:

umn Mlnesses In venlor,

MERIDETH D. AVERY, OF ALBION, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,710, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed April 26, 1857. Serial No. 936,158.

To (LZZ 20710772 it may concern.-

Beit known that I, MERIDETH D. AVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Al bion, county of Calhoun, Stateof Michigan, have invented a newand useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings which employ hooked bars in lieu of links to couple the draw-bars together; and it has for its object certain improvements and novel association of parts set forth in the following description and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of two contiguous ends of cars broken, showing the d raw-bars with side wall removed and the couplinginechanism attached. Fig. 2 is the same, showing operation and changes in construc tion; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2 and plan of lettered details; and Figs. at and 5 are enlarged perspective views of lettered detail below described.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A are the cars, and B the draw-bars. Referring to the left-hand draw-bar in Fig. 1, the hook c is pivoted at the rear end in one of the side chambers of the draw-bar. At is a lifting-lever contacting the hook at forward of its fulcrum and on the under side. The lift ing-lever is fulcrumed in the draw-bar B at s and extends rearwardly, and is provided at the end with an elongated slot, 2'. In a like chamber on the other side of the other drawbar 13, which is attached to the right-hand car, is a like hook it and lifting-lever c.

In the side chamber of the right-hand drawbar, Fig. 1, is an inverted hook, a, pivoted at e and adapted to be coupled with the hook a when the cars come together, asin Fig. 1. The inclined end of the hook it contacts the incline of the hook a, and the former rises and automatically hooks over the other and falls to place by its own gravity.

At (1 is a bridge, Figs. 4 and 5, pivoted at e, Fig. 1, and is adapted to be swung up and held in theposition shown in Fig. 2 by the angled end aof the lever c, said end 1' being loosely inserted between the hook to and the bridge (1, Fig. 5. This figure shows thebridgc raised, as in Fig. 2. Its purpose is to prevent the hooks from coupling should the book a (No model.)

happen to be down in its normal condition for coupling in cases when it is not desired to couple. The hook (6 would run onto the bridge,

and when the cars were drawn apart it would draw off again without coupling. The lefthand draw-bar, Fig. 1, in a side chamber, is provided with a like hook a, bridge 1', and lever 0. These lovers are fulerumed like lever 0, and extend rearward, and have slots 1' like those in lever c.

The levers are operated by the transverse crank-shafts 1), having hearings in pendent castings y, Fig. 1. These crank-shafts terminate at the ends on both sides of the cars in right-angled weighted ends. The object of the weight is to prevent the jar of the cars throwing the ends overand turning the crankshaft to wrong positions. The crank of the shaft 22 plays in the'slotsi of the levers c c.

\Vhen the coupling is in condition to couple, and also when coupled, the bridge (Z and the levers c c are in the position shown in Fig. 1.

To uneonple the ears, slack them and turn the crank-shaft on one of the cars by throwing the weighted handle over to the reverse position. This action will raise the bridge (I, and consequently the hook a of the other car, as said book will then be resting upon said bridge, and said action will also raise thehook (1, through the slotted end of which the crank shaft passes. Thus both hooks a and the bridge are raised by a single operation of one of the crank-shafts 'v, and the bridge by being thus raised serves a double office, one of which was hereinbefore explained. Fig. 2 shows the books a and bridge (I in their raised position, the left hand car and coupling being designed in this figure to show the opposite side to that shown in the right-haud car.

It should be mentioned that the objects of employing a book a, pivoted at the rear end in the draw-bar, in lieu of forming a fixed hook in the draw-bar, integral therewith or otherwise, are these: In going over rough or raised portions of the track the book a will play on its pivot the same as the hook a, and by thus yielding allow the ears to better adapt themselves to the track. It is more desirable, too, in cars of diiferent heights coupled to get-her, and, further, when the hooks become worn, they can be readily replaced.

' However, with the end weighted, this is not likely to occur.

In Fig. 3 both side chambers are seen, the side walls of the draw-bar in this figure not having been removed. The walls are provided on the inside at the rear end with lugs to fit into the inortises 2 2 of the draw-bar and are secured by screws or bolls. These lugs and screws are not shown, but they will be clearly ,nnderstood by the mortises and screw-holes in Figs. 1 and 2. The pivots of the books a a pass into the side walls, and hence the lugs in mortises2relieve the attaching screws,or both, of a part of the draft strain upon them.

Sofar as the means here shown for operating the lifting-levers is concerned I do not wish to limit my invention to said means, for it is obvious that these levers can be operated in many ways, either at the side or top of the car or from the engine.

The central portion of the draw-bar B has a central transverse mortise or slot cut into it at the front end, and has a vertical hole to receive the coupling-pin m, Fig. 2. By this means the cars can be readily coupled with the ordinary draw-bar by means of a link. This makes a very desirable draw-bar for coupling with a link, from the fact that there is no danger of catching the hand of the operator, as the side walls of the draw-bar B are cut away at the front end, and hence there is no danger of any part of the bumpers hitting the hand while holding the link. \Vhen desiring to couple these cars with a car-having the ordinary drawbar and link, the book a may be raised, as in dotted position in Fig. 2, and retained by means of a chain or spring-catch or by any suitable means to keep the hook up out of the way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination ofthe draw-bar having v the side chambers, the pivoted hook and lifting-lever in one chamber, the pivoted inverted hook, the pivoted bridge, and a lifting-lever for raising said bridge in the other chamber, and suitable means for operating the liftinglevers in unison, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the draw-bar having the side chambers, the pivoted hook and lifting-lever in one chamber, the pivoted inverted hook, the pivoted bridge, and a lifting-lever for raising said bridge in the other chamber, said lifting-levers being provided at their extended ends with elongated slots, and a crankshaft adapted to play in said slots to operate the lifting-levers in unison, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination of the draw-bar having the side chambers, the pivoted hook and liftinglever in one chamber, the pivoted inverted hook, the pivoted bridge, and a lifting-lever for raising said bridge in the other chamber, and a crank-shaft having the right-angled weighted ends andadapted to operate the lifting-levers in unison, substantially as set forth.

4.. The combination of a draw-bar having the inverted hook, the pivoted bridge, and a lever for raising said bridge, and a draw-bar having the pivoted hook adapted to interlock with the inverted hook and to be raised by said bridge when the cars are slacked, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a drawbar having the side chambers, a pivoted hook and a liftinglever in one chamber, a pivoted inverted hook, a pivoted bridge, and a lifting-lever for raising said bridge in the other chamber, slotted pivoted levers adapted to bear upon the rear extended end of the lifting-levers, and a crank-shaft adapted to operate the slotted levers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name in presence of two witnesses.

MERIDETH D. AVERY.

XVi'tnesses:

SAMUEL FoLz, ADELBERT G. BIsHoP. 

